Egyptian court bans Muslim Brotherhood

PanARMENIAN.Net - Egypt has banned the Muslim Brotherhood from carrying out activities inside the country as its interim government looks to crack down on unrest following former President Mohammed Morsi’s ouster, the Associated Press reported.

“The court bans the activities of the Muslim Brotherhood organization and its non-governmental organization and all the activities that it participates in and any organization derived from it,” judge Mohammed al-Sayed said in a statement on Monday, Sept 23.

The court also ordered the Muslim Brotherhood's assets confiscated.

The Brotherhood was outlawed for most of its 85 years in existence. But after the 2011 ouster of autocrat Hosni Mubarak, it was allowed to work openly, formed a political party and rose to power in a string of post-Mubarak elections. In March, it registered as a recognized non-governmental organization.

The ruling, which can be appealed, opens door for authorities to track down the group's elaborate network of social services, dealing a deadly blow to its pillars of grass-root support.

Morsi was overthrown by Egypt’s military on July 3.

At least 1,000 people have died in the violence with most deaths coming during the security forces' dispersal of two pro-Morsi sit-ins in Cairo on August 14. About 100 police officers also died in the clashes.

Nearly 2,000 Islamist activists and politicians have been arrested since Morsi's ouster.

Egyptian police also arrested Muslim Brotherhood spokesman Gehad al-Haddad after being found with two other Brotherhood officials in a flat in Cairo. Haddad had served as chief of staff of the Brotherhood's deputy general guide, Khairat al-Shater, and often spoke to English-language media.